reflections from Nove37 Conference

Just home from the Nove37/OM young adults missions conference and I feel great...spiritually,etc. not so much physically. Trying to recover from a bad sinus infection, fever I picked up down in Pescara, Italy. Despite this the conference was really an amazing time and I can most definitely see the Lord's hand in the timing of it for me personally. I wish you could have all been there to here it first hand form Peter Mead but I 'll hit hte highlights here and share what moved me most. I find myself quite often these days losing sight of the vision, my calling, God's plan or rather the motivation of my heart to engage in missions in Italy...whatever you'd like to call it. I think this is normal over time as the reality of the hardness of the soil sets in, tough days culturally, and all sorts of things seem to assault you and I believe the enemy also uses these things to draw you away from the Lord and discourage you that you might eventually give up. But I find myself after 8 1/2 years off and on serving here in Italy still choosing to remain. This is mainly because deep down when I scrape away all the crap, yes I said crap, that I let distract me, fight against me, etc. and see once again the Lord's heart not just for the nations but specifically for Italy I am revived, moved with compassion and am once again solidified in my decision to serve in Italy.

The last few months or so I have been going back and forth on being certain of my calling to remain in Italy not so much because of lack of need here or love for the people but because it's honestly a hard place to be. I know a lot of people think living in Italy is a dream come true and it's glorious all the time but umm wake up call that's not so. Maybe for a few months or so but then reality will set in and the day to day struggles, hardships,etc will begin to take a toll and I know if we aren't certain of our calling and reflect often on God's heart for the Italian people and teh depths of all of this we will cave. So once again being in this hard place letting the junk take over I was in desperate need of seeing God's heart once again and also seeing my heart. It just so happens the nove37 conference was where the Lord allowed this to happen. So the next few posts will talk about just some moving things I heard while there and wanted to share not just for others but also for me to keep these words ever before me so that I don't lose sight of the mission..the passion of God.